Display-fixture



Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

` f bar/c6 .5e/7067? M Y TTTOE 'Zay C. K. BENNETT.

msPLAY FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.23| i913Y K. BENNETT. DIS'PLAY FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.23, I9I8.

1,371,464. v Patented Mar. 15, 192L 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. BENNETT, or Eas'r CLEVELAND, onto, AssIGNoit 'ro 'rHEECLirsE Musi CAL COMPANY. or CLEVELAND, onio, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

nisPLAY-FIXTURE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

latentediliar. 15, 1921.

appiicanon inea December 23, 191e. seriali No. 267,942.

l/ 'o all 'Lo/icm t may concern:

e it linown that I, CHARLES K. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Display-FiXtures, of which thev following is a specification, the

principle of the invention being herein ex-A plained and the best Inode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improvements, relating, as indicated, to display fixtures, have regard more particularly to fixturesfor displaying phonograph records of the flat or disk type. The difliculty of bringing such records to the attention of prospective customers, and of iissistinn them in making a selection where only a catalogue list is available, has long been understood by salesmen in this field. The object of the present invention, according-ly, is to provide a device whereby records (and other similar articles, there being no intention to limit the utilization of the invention to the field indicated) may be displayed in readily accessible form, without taking up much space or subjecting the records to damage through unnecessary handling. Y

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim,

the annexed drawing and the followingl several of the various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

Figure 'l is a front elevation of oneunit of improved display device; Fig. 2 is a section thereof taken on the line 22, Fig. l; Fig. il is an elevation similar to that of Fig. l, but illustrating a modified (and preferred) construction of the same; Fig. 4 is a section of such modified construction, taken on the plane indicated by the line 4 4, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a rack carrying a number of such units.

The base of the device, in the caso of either constructional form thus illustrated, consists of a back member comprising a flat relatively rigid sheet 1, preferably of cardboard ries of pockets is provided on one or both Y faces of such back member. In the constructional form illustrated in Figs. l and 2, these pockets consist of separate envelops 2, the fronts 3 of which are lower than the backs 4, so vthat something more than the upper half of the record will ibe exposed to view when placed therein. Preferably such fronts will Vbe out in the form of a broad V, the lower corner of which will clear the label of the record so as -to leave such label entirely exposed to view. The back of each envelop overlies the front of the one next above, being glued or otherwise firmly attached thereto, and such envelope are similarly firmly attached by means of glue or equivalent means (e.V g. by being sewn) onto the back member. Staples may also be used for this purpose. Y

The modified construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and is designed 'to facilitate production ofthe device on a commercial scale, and at the same time it presents some additional operative advantages. In place of a series of envelop's secured in the fashion just de scribed to tho back member, I here utilize a sheet 5 of stiff paper, or equivalent V:material, of approximately the same size as the back, such sheet being'out at spaced intervals by broad lil-shaped slits 6 corresponding in outline with the fronts of the aforesaid envelops. The sheet is then firmly secured aboutV its edges to the back by means such as previously described for securing the envelope thereto, and the depending angular iiaps 7 corresponding with thesuccessive slits are similarly attached to such back. In the case of such iiaps, however, I preferably use two tacks or ordinary paper fasteners 8 spaced transversely of the sheet yequal distane-es from the median line thereof, the resultfbeing that when a record is inserted through the slit above such fastening devices, it will not only be supported at the proper height in the .pocket thatis thus in effect formed, but will be nicely centered as well. It will be understood that the same pocket may be arranged to receive a larger or smaller record by locating the fastening deios vices S just mentioned the proper distance below the corresponding slit.

In the case of the construction under consideration. either' one or both sides of the board may be quipped to recei vc rcfrords just as bei'ore. l also preferably bind the edges of the sheet or sheets and the ly ase or back board together, using a .strip l) ot either cloth or metal as preferred. Where of metal such strip obviously provides a rectangular frame having side and bottom members formed with inwardly facing channels, Within which the edges of the sheet or sheets and of the back board are confined as shown in Fig. e.

A sheet when slit in the fashion last described, or the series ol envelops arranged as in. the first described construction may be regarded as al series of transverse relatively narrow strips of material. extending transversely of the back board having their lateral. edges attached to the corresponding sides of said board and being secured along their lower edges to said board intermediate ot the sides of the same.

The device, in either of the two terms described. constitutes a unit which may be used by itself by being suspended against a wall7 or supported on an easel, or a number of such units may be mounted in any one of the several Vtan'iiliar tyyiesl ot' swing lit-- play racks, as illustrated in Fig. a. By using such a display rack, a large number of records may obviously be stored in a very small space. and yet by simply turning the several leaves overt any one interested in examining the records may scan their titles and quickly select and abstract any one in the rollcctilnl. The record .f :ii not be handled at all unless it isdesired to withdraw the same. and the dang, -r reduced over pr and handliu lends itself selections oi' records which may be classified and placed in separate series of holders and in a variety ot other ways lends itself to the merchandising ot articles of the class in hand.

(lther modes o'l applying the principle ot my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

l therefore particularly point out and disrinctly claim as my inv;Y tion ln a device i'or exhil lng phonograph record tablets having titles printed. at their centersthe combination of a flat central member, a supporting :trame formed of a channeled strip surrounding said member, a vertical series ot relatively narrow transversely externfling pocketdiorming sheets secured to each sidi oit said centrar :bei: cach sheet having its upper edge cut away tor display purposes and having its lateral edges confined. within the channels of the side members of the frame, and a pair ol' combined sheet-attaching and tablet-positioning elements connecting' each oi said sl'leets to said centra-l member at points r;en trally of the respective half-portions of said sheets.

Signed hy me, this 21st day of December, Vlli?.

ol" damage is thus nt methods ot displaying 7 .i i tesoros. AVV\ device oi this sort CHARLES K. BENNETT.

readily to the display of special Y CJi Cri 

